Thursday, March 31, 2011

Gay Man Faces Navy Discharge

We did it!! Robin McGehee of GetEqual just got off the phone with Petty Officer Derek Morado, the servicemember who was facing discharge today in California despite "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" having been repealed 100 days ago. By a vote of 3-0, Derek was recommended for retention. Derek gets to not only save his career, but walk prouder without the burden of discrimination on his shoulders. This is Great News….:)In December when President Obama signed the "Don'tAsk, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010," we thought this wasthe game-changer. Of course we were a bit skeptical aboutObama dragging his feet about the transition to make therepeal fully inclusive & get it implemented. Especiallywhen the Obama administration refused to drop theirappeal against the Log Cabin Republicans after their casefound DADT unconstitutional in Federal court.Today Derek Morado, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class who wasouted by a fellow sailor in 2009, still faces discharge fromthe Navy. The 26-year-old sailor will appear at a hearing onthe base today before a three-member panel that will rulewhether he should be discharged for homosexual conduct.The hearing is not open to the public. Morado said he's heardthat no one has been discharged from the military for beinggay since October. He hopes not to be the first since then,because he wants to make the Navy his career. "It's all I reallyknow," he said. "I've done it since high school. I just want tokeep doing it." Updates to Come…:)For More Info: getEqual.orgAudio Action w/ 15 Celebs on the Red Carpet@ the '11 NYC GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS chatGay Rights & Dish @ OUTTAKE VOICES™

2 Comments:

A short time ago, we were contacted by an active-duty servicemember, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Derek Morado who despite the repeal “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is still going through the process of being discharged. The process started for him on November 8, 2009, when someone anonymously outed him after seeing his MySpace page. Within weeks, his discharge process began but it limped along while the government waffled about what to do about repeal. A year went by before he got any kind of update, each day believing it was his last day to serve his country. After the repeal bill was signed into law, he believed his case to be over. But Derek got bad news earlier this month. Despite DADT repeal, his case is still being pursued and his hearing is scheduled for today. With implementation still not in place, is this the Navy's attempt to slip in another discharge or bully him with a hearing...just because they still can?

This lengthy matter has been tearing me up; it has destroyed relationships and displaced loved ones who were relying on me. But even after the U.S. Government has made it clear they don’t want this law in effect the Navy has said that, because the paperwork has been submitted and the policy is technically still active, they have no choice but to continue.

I have been in the U.S. Navy since I graduated high school. It’s all I know and all I want to do. I have dreams of grandeur, hopes of retiring a young, highly-decorated, respected senior enlisted sailor. My resolve is weakened but not broken. I just have to place my fate in the hands of three strangers -- strangers who I hope have strong moral convictions and like-minded sentiments to my own.